Cannot enter IP address directly into browser

[longbowrocks]

Heya all,
I've been trying to use my host file to do things like making www.apple.com redirect to the Microsoft support forums, and other such silliness.
The problem is, many sites don't work. By this I mean that I can ping the site, but when I enter the resulting address into my browser (IE, Firefox, or Chrome) I receive the following error: "The URL you have requested does not have a web site associated with it". This happens with all three of the above browsers when I try to enter the IP addresses for lauriemcguinness.com or
www.apple.com. The IPs for google.com and xkcd.com work fine. Also, microsoft timed out on the ping, but I discovered that's apparently just 'cause they block pings.
You may want to see the actual error, so I attached a pic.

I am using Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition Version 2002 service pack 3

[longbowrocks]

Now I'm back at school, and it apple.com works, but lauriemcguinness still doesn't. Also, after I did a pathping on www.apple.com, all pings to "www.apple.com" redirect to its host. pings on "apple.com" still work though...

[KingSteve]

Are you flushing dns after you edit host file?

[longbowrocks]

yeah, I tried flushing it.